Pirates' Schedule Forces Steelers Road Season Openings

The Pittsburgh Steelers' inability to host Week 1 home games consistently is primarily due to scheduling conflicts with the Pittsburgh Pirates, whose home games at PNC Park coincide with the Steelers' potential home games at Acrisure Stadium, located just a mile apart and sharing parking facilities. NFL Vice President of Broadcast Planning Mike North confirmed that the Steelers often have to start their season on the road to avoid overlapping with Pirates' home games, especially in September when the Pirates typically have homestands. This has resulted in the Steelers opening on the road for 12 of the last 13 seasons, with their only Week 1 home game since 2015 occurring in 2023 when the Pirates were on a road trip. While the NFL and both teams have managed occasional same-day games with staggered times, such as afternoon and night games, this is generally avoided to prevent logistical complications. The Pirates' recent struggles and absence from the playoffs have somewhat eased scheduling conflicts, but if the Pirates become competitive again and host playoff games in October, the NFL may need to explore new scheduling solutions, such as afternoon Steelers games followed by Pirates playoff games at night. Overall, the close proximity and shared resources between the two teams remain a persistent factor influencing the Steelers' early-season scheduling.